Archived press release

Car companies conspire to wreck global environment for profit

13 October 1997

On the opening day of the Motor Show, Friends of the Earth condemned the motor industry as 'anti-environment' because of several of the world's largest car companies' efforts to block international environmental agreements [1] and because of the industry's poor performance in moving toward more fuel efficient vehicles.

As Ford and General Motors, two of the largest car companies in the World, unveil their new models, they are at the same time supporting efforts to block international targets and timetables to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide, the main gas responsible for global climate change. At the same time emissions of carbon dioxide are increasing, partly because of these companies' failure to sell more fuel efficient vehicles [2].

Industry moves to block the international climate change negotiations are also supported by several car fuel companies such as Mobil, Esso, Texaco and Shell and by the major tyre firm Goodyear.

Tony Juniper, Campaigns Director at Friends of the Earth, said:

“Whilst the motor companies smile at the cameras and display their glossy new cars, they are at the same time seeking to undermine the most important environmental agreement of all time. If dangerous climate change is allowed to occur because of vehicle and other pollution, the world will pay a terrible price in human lives and wrecked economies. These companies must not be allowed to protect their profits at everyone else's expense”.

“Ford, General Motors and other car manufacturers should cease their selfish lobbying efforts and instead support a level playing field of international laws to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They should also invest serious effort in making their vehicles truly fuel efficient.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] All companies named in this press release are members of the Global Climate Coalition, a US-based industry lobbying organisation that is committed to blocking the agreement of targets and timetables at the international climate change negotiations that will take place in December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has already determined that there is a discernable human influence on global climate and has calculated that drastic cuts in carbon dioxide emissions will be necessary to avoid dangerous climate change. If industry groups are successful in blocking action now, it will be far more costly and difficult to make deeper cuts in carbon dioxide emissions later on. Friends of the Earth International is calling for the major industrialised countries to commit to 20 per cent carbon dioxide emssion reductions by 2005. This is vehemently opposed by the Global Climate Coalition.

[2] The registration-weighted, average fuel consumption of new cars sold in the UK has not improved over the last ten years. Although, several motor manufacturers are selling fuel efficient cars in niche markets (eg: the Ford Ka), the industry is resisting a European-wide agreement to improve the average fuel efficiency of the car fleet by one third by 2005. This agreement would be essential for the achievement of targets widely advocated for the Kyoto Climate Summit.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust